4spd compared to auto driving experience

[Fran Blacker]

View attachment 965799

What Mike said, and one of these

By the way the car has a ghost driving at 112!

 

[wagonwedge330]

Thanks for allowing my two cents....love four speeds, and certainly dig the later b bodies, this might not apply, but being a fanatic for early b bodies, (‘63’s), having one manual and one auto, theres something very cool about the push button torque flight trans.

 

[Frank Mopar]

By the way the car has a ghost driving at 112!

Speedometers are for wimps.

 

[Cranky]

I'm a stick guy and have been from as far back as I can remember....and the first time someone asked me if I had a C4 or a C6 in my Mudstain (yeah but at least it was a Fastback ) and my reply was T-10 and the guy went over to the car and looked in, I knew I was shifting well. In the early 80's a buddy and I was running a Super Street road runner with a 4 speed and some guy came to our pits and asked where we got the 4 speed auto. Only motioned for him to go look into the car. Now if you're driving in rush hour traffic all the time, I'll take the automatic but my shot rods usually didn't get that kind of abuse.

 

[493 Mike]

I don't dislike manual transmissions, I've been driving a 1998 Neon R/T with a 5 speed for 14 years now (276,000) . I just like building and driving my automatics. They are cheaper to repair. I've had many of each since I started driving (1965).
Mike
PS: I had the SRT-4 for one year (rode too rough and didn't handle as well as the R/T).

 

[Begood03]

Real drivers drive sticks!

 

[Kern Dog]

 

[70chall440]

Love my 6 speed Viper and 2010 challenger as well as my 4 speed Cuda, but I also love my 70 Challenger RT with a AT and my 52 B3B pickup with a 727. I will be putting a 4 speed into my 70 RR because there are few things as cool as a long pistol grip and air grabber

 

[Frank Mopar]

Real drivers drive sticks!

i retired from trucking after 40 years. Real men drove sticks is my motto.

 

[biomedtechguy]

I will be putting a 4 speed into my 70 RR because there are few things as cool as a long pistol grip and air grabber

THIS!!! = VERITAS!!!!

 

[toolmanmike]

It depends how old you are and how good of shape your hips and knees are. I have one of each. My 4 speed clutch is quite mild and smooth. Not much pedal pressure but after driving it around town for an hour or two my left leg gives me some problems. The next Mopar will be an automatic. (with power steering) LOL

 

[Budnicks]

Depends on the car

how fast you want to go
if it not a track car, closer to a street car, yeah fun as hell

at the track unless it's a Jeffco, Lenco or Clucthflite
then hell no

I've owned a bunch of both, I like rowing thru the gears
if they are cruisers, it's really fun to row thru the gears
it becomes a PITA too at times, like in bumper to bumper traffic
when the novelty wears off some

especially in any "real" traffic, albeit I don't live within 80-100 miles
of a freeway or let alone commuter traffic anymore, haven't for 23+ years

I like my 68 RR with the 727tf too, I like the way it shifts

IMO A manual valve-body with a low gear band apply
& a bolt in (min. of a pinned) sprag/overrunning clutch
is a must f you want to downshift & drive them like a beast

about half or more of all my cars & trucks (111 total to date)
are or have been manual trans, a sports-car especially
most all my street driven Vett's, Camaro's, Firebird's & Trans Am's, 442's & GS's
have been manual trans, especially early 1st & 2nd gen cars
I've had 13) 68-70 RR's now, 8 have been manual trans 4 speed cars
I've had a 12) 68-70 Charger R/T's, 7 were Automatics
I had a few 4 speed & 6 cylinder 3 on the tree cars,
like Duster's, Dart's, Barracuda's of both manual & automatics
& many, many trucks, most all 4x4's or Jeeps, most all were manual trans
Had a bunch of other cars MG's, Porsche, Jag etc. all manual trans

I have a 2002 F-350 4x4 Powerstroke 5 speed 4x4 Dually
(sort of a PITA towing sometimes, but I can't keep it in the gear I want)

My 1999 Dakota SLT 4x4 5.2ltr has an O/D auto, I like driving it
I actually looked for a 5 speed, they're like hens teeth,
they were hard to find here anyway
I didn't want to wait 12+ weeks to order one
I don't regret it at all

I don't scoff at a car/truck because it has an automatic
I don't look down my nose at someone, because they have an automatic
that's being a transist

to each their own, do what makes you happy

certain muscle cars, sports-cars & especially daily street driven cars
or eco-boxes are better as a manual trans
I could list more of them, but you already know I'm sure

I like them both, the more stock it is, the more I like the manual trans

 

[400sforever]

 

[400sforever]

 

[kiwigtx]

Yo Kiwi... I don't want to be judgmental or anything, but you're going to kill someone driving on the wrong side of the road like that!!

Live life dangerously

 

[Nate S]

I’ve converted 4 cars to 4-speed from automatic. If the car is close to stock I’d call it a toss up. This assumes the auto is set up right, especially kickdown linkage and governor. Most people get these set up wrong. As soon as the cam starts getting bigger and the converter sloppier the auto gets worse. Once over 3000 rpm stall or so they suck. Mind you, they are still fast and can kick ***, the driving experience just isn’t as good.

For all the conversions I’ve done I drive an auto these days and greatly enjoy it. Just stuff the throttle, it kicks down if it needs to, shifts when it needs to etc. clutchflites and manual valve bodies are For a much narrower group of people. I don’t much like either but everyone has their tastes. Do what you want. Just be sure so you aren’t undoing it.

 

[dadsbee]

Cruising, I only use that third pedal at stop signs.... Stick all the way, engine sound is so much better!

 

[66 Sat]

Well I've emailed Brewers for a quote and I'll see what that comes back at. Shipping might be a killer to Australia, but what price to become a real man...?

 

[biomedtechguy]

You know, I just thought of another example...
Yes, I'd pretty much prefer, in some cases DEMAND, that classic muscle cars of the 60s and 70s have a 3rd pedal...
In the case of the AAR Cuda and T/A Challenger with the 340+6bbl..MUST, MUST be equipped MANUAL transmission ONLY! Being as they were designed to be the BEST handling cars, with quick get up and go. I would have liked the 3.55 or 3.90 if 8¾ or 3.54 or 4.10 if Dana..nothing more "highway friendly".
OTOH, I can see a high performance automatic being OK in a Olds 442, Buick GS Stage 1, and similar, maybe even the Plymouth GTX

 

[Kern Dog]

This meme is appropriate: